The College National Championship game is now synonymous with when I had to start returning to the office, and Ill never get back staying up late to watch back to back blowouts.
The Michigan Wolverines are the fifth team in college football history to finish 15-0, joining 2022 Georgia, 2019 LSU, 2018 Clemson and 1897 Penn.
It was "Michigan vs. Everybody", as their season was rocked by a sign-stealing scandal. Their championship is proof, players and coaches say, that stealing signs isn't why they won games. It was how their running game can't be stopped and Blake Corum is a HOSS.
After nine seasons coaching his alma mater and in his third consecutive playoff appearance, Harbaugh delivered the title so many expected when he took over a struggling powerhouse in 2015, despite missing six regular-season games this season while serving separate suspensions. Michigan gave Washington a taste of life in the Big Ten, where the Pac-12 champions are heading next season, and the Huskies were up for the grind for a while.
The game started with what looked to be an early blow out, but the Huskies battled and headed to halftime down a touchdown at 17-10. Michigan nursed a touchdown lead until halfway through the fourth quarter, when it put together 71-yard drive, capped by Corum's tackle-breaking 12-yard touchdown that finally gave the Wolverines some room with a 27-13 lead and 7:09 left.
Washington couldn't do anything on its final drive needing a miracle, and turned the ball back over to Michigan after a failed fourth down. Michigan was able to run out the clock in victory formation, luckily Jamies Winston wasn't under center or he'd prob try and get another score.
We did not see the same play from Michael Penix Jr that we saw in the Sugar Bowl. A towel covered the face of Washington quarterback as he walked off the field Monday night following the Huskies' 34-13 loss. Penix finished 27 for 51 for 255 yards, two INT's and a touchdown. I felt going into this game Penix could secure a first round and potential top 10 draft pick if he balled out, but between his age, injury history, and performance in this game, I don't know where hell end up being drafted.
He was clearly hurt or banged up, as he walked off the field for the final time of his college career with his arm against his ribs. That Michigan D was all over him and he never had a chance to get comfortable.
"They're a good team. We just didn't execute in the moments when we needed to," Penix said after the game. "It's just about executing. I don't feel like they did anything -- I feel like we beat ourselves. And there were times we definitely had opportunities to make big-time plays, to make the game a lot different. But it comes down to executing. They're a good team, but we had a lot of opportunities."
Only question left to answer after securing the National Title is, will Jim Harbaugh stay coaching Michigan or head to the NFL? Michigan is already working hard to retain Harbaugh's services. The university has reportedly presented Harbaugh with a contract extension that would make him the highest-paid coach in the sport, promising a $125 million salary spread over 10 years.
It's no surprise that professional teams would covet Harbaugh's services. He has steadily built Michigan back into a powerhouse program with a 40-3 record over the past three years. The Wolverines haven't lost a regular-season game since 2021, powering their way to three straight Big Ten titles while qualifying for each of the past three College Football Playoffs. He's already a proven winner at the NFL level, too, setting himself apart from other college football coaches that might want to test the professional waters and even most NFL assistants that could get a look. As coach of the San Francisco 49ers from 2011-14, Harbaugh compiled a 44-19 record with two NFC West titles and an appearance in Super Bowl 47.